WOMEN’S BASKETBALL – Blinn Falls to No. 25 Panola College, 65-53

BRENHAM, Texas – Blinn College women’s basketball played a close game with No. 25 Panola College until the Fillies pulled away in the final quarter to take a 65-53 victory in the Kruse Center on Wednesday night.

Rayanna Carter led the Buccaneers with a season-high 18 points, while Missy Archie and Kayla Konarik followed with nine points each and Kyler Wyatt chipped in with eight points.

After Panola took off with a 9-4 lead, Konarik recorded back-to-back three-pointers for Blinn to narrow in on the Fillies 15-12 in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Buccaneers and Fillies each scored 12 points for Panola to keep a 27-24 lead at the half. Blinn went on an 8-3 run that concluded with four straight points by Archie to even the score 22-22 before Panola hit a three-pointer to pull ahead again at the half.

Panola began to pull away from Blinn in the third quarter as the Fillies held a 43-34 lead. However, the Buccaneers finished the quarter strong with a 6-0 run led by Carter for Blinn to trail 48-42 heading into the final quarter.

Panola took off with a 9-4 run to begin the final quarter for a 57-46 lead with four minutes remaining. Carter, who led the Buccaneers in the quarter with six points sunk two free throws with 2:56 left to put Blinn seven points behind Panola. However, Panola ended the quarter on a 6-2 run to take the victory.

With the loss, the Buccaneers fall to 10-14 overall and 3-11 in Region XIV conference play

The Buccaneers will host San Jacinto College-North on Saturday, Feb. 10 in the Kruse Center at 2 p.m. The men’s basketball game between Blinn and San Jacinto College-Central will follow at 4 p.m.

Both games will be Adam’s Angels Ministry fundraiser games in which Blinn raises money and awareness for Adam’s Angels. Adam’s Angels Ministry is called to provide care and comfort for families that are in a battle against childhood cancer. The fundraising effort is part of Blinn’s Adopt-a-Charity program in which all Blinn athletic programs dedicate a portion of their gate proceeds towards a charity. For more information on Adam’s Angels Ministry visit www.adamsangelsministry.org.

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 36 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.